-From River
by CheshireCatsFreedom
Summary: To the moon back-story from River's perspective.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys! I've seen so many Dr Eva x Dr Watts "to the moon" fanfiction, but rarely anything on River or John. So this is a little back story- River's perspective. She was my favorite character throughout the game and I feel she deserves this.**

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 _ **I always thought that the stars were lighthouses.**_

"River, come on. We have to go." I heard mother shout. I tied my shoelaces and looked at myself in the mirror.

"River!" I made my way downstairs slowly, wondering about the sun and the fish. "Did you not hear me the first time?" my mom shouted over my ear. "Yes." I replied meekly. "Where are we going?" I asked her, as I saw her collect a few documents in brown paper. "Are we going to the office, mother?" I asked again, quietly. "Isabelle, wear your hat." My mother chastised my sister. "Mother…" I asked again, but by now, I was used to my mother focusing her attention on my sister- ever since she had been taking her to the hospital. Honestly, I didn't mind being not noticed. Didn't mind being just the same like everyone else. "What is it, River?" My mother looked at me, a tired look in her eyes. I didn't mind being not noticed, but you are supposed to answer a question. "Nothing." I replied as I got into the cab. "Where's father?" my sister asked. "Your father has to work today, girls. So I am taking you to the doctor's." my mother replied, her voice full of fake enthusiasm. "Why are you taking me?" I mumbled. "Because River, I cannot leave you alone in the house like last time. You bought in a cat." My mother replied firmly. I nodded and slumped in my seat, looking at the trees passing by. "Ew, River." My sister pointed at a road kill nearby and made a face. I could smell it from the car. But somehow, I didn't mind. It seemed normal, it seemed natural.

Everything that I never felt.

"Road kills are becoming so frequent." My mother remarked and nodded. After a while, the car came to a halt and I jumped off.

" _Dr. David's Clinic. Mind Specialist."_ I walked into the air-conditioned room and my mother gestured us towards the waiting seats while she talked to the receptionist. _Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock._ The clock had always bothered me, and somehow in this empty room with just my four people, it bothered me even more.

"Is it okay if I bring my other daughter inside?" I heard my mom say in a low voice.

"Yes of course." I heard the receptionist reply.

"Alright girls, let's go in." my mom motioned me and my sister inside. A fat, bald man sat on a chair, reading the brown documents mom bought. The receptionist must've sent them in.

"Please sit, Mrs. Anderson." The doctor smiled and gestured towards the cushioned chairs.

"Hello Sarah, and what is your name?" my mom nudged me and I realized the last remark was for me.

I kept on staring at the red book on the bookshelf. The Little Mermaid. Why did Ursla do all the mean things to Ariel?

"Maybe the Ursla wanted a prince, too." I said.

"What?" the doctor asked fazed.

"The Little Mermaid." I said, pointing at the book.

"Hmm… Maybe she did."

"Her name is River." My mother replied for me.

"What a lovely name."

He smiled and looked at Isabelle and talked for a little while. Maybe I could've befriended Ursla.

"So doctor, does she have it?" I heard my mother say and I looked up.

"Yes, Mrs. Anderson. Isabelle has Aspersers. Luckily, it's an early stage. The therapies will be very effective. I have a few right here." He gave her a piece of paper.

"Thank you…" My mom replied, as she dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief.

"Ma'am, it's important you are there for you daughter. Your sadness comes next." He looked at me uncertainly and then asked, "Did you get River checked as well?"

"And why would I do that?" My mom opened her eyes wide.

"They are blood siblings if I'm correct?"

"Yes, but River is perfectly normal. Besides, didn't you tell me that girls rarely have it?"

"Yes, but siblings around the same age usually have it. Sarah is a girl, and that makes her case rare. But let's not overlook the fact that she is less than a year older than River."

"River does not have a disease. She is fine."

"Ma'am you're-"

But my mother cut him short. "No. I have heard enough. River is absolutely normal. She feels fine. Don't you, River?" she replied defensively.

I wanted to scream, shout, and tell her that the last thing I felt was normal.

Instead I nodded while my gaze remained fixated on the book.

"That's settled then." My mother replied firmly.

Doctor David looked at me uncertainly and gave a little nod and continued talking to my mother.

Maybe Ursla wanted a happy ending too. Maybe she wanted to be like all the other mermaids as well.

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	2. Chapter 2

**Hey guys! Enjoy part 2 and do leave a review! ^_^**

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 _ **One day, I'm going to befriend one of them.**_

"Are we going to the carnival, mother?" I asked quietly.

The stars were coming out; I hadn't talked to them in a while. I couldn't wait to tell them about today. I was still trying to befriend them.

"Hmm... I would think not, River. It's getting dark."

"But mother..."I started to argue.

I never argued, never felt the need. No one could win against my mother. Her voice pounded into your ears like drums to make you see her reason. But I had to argue now. I couldn't let _Them_ down. I promised to try to be their friend. I couldn't give up on _them_.

"River, hush. What I said is final." She replied, exasperated.

"Oh, but mother, please let's go to the carnival. I wanted to play those games! They're so much fun." My sister whined.

My mother looked at her and then nodded her head.

"If you so much want to, Isabelle. Sir, could you take a turn and leave us to the carnival?" She addressed the taxi driver.

We got down and she held both our hands and we went into the carnival. But I couldn't enjoy myself. How is it that Isabelle got whatever she wanted? Why did Mother never listen to me? I wanted to go to the carnival just as much as her.

"What's the matter, River? Didn't you want to come to the carnival? You're awfully sour."She nudged me and frowned.

If it was any other time I would've smiled for her. Smiled and told her that it was okay.

But I was trying to befriend _them_.

And it wasn't okay.

"Why do you agree to everything Isabelle says?"I mumbled. It was getting dark. I had to reach my spot, and talk to the stars. I was getting late.

"What?"

I looked up at her.

"Why do you agree to everything Isabelle says?"I shouted and ran.

I had to get to my spot, I had to.

I couldn't let _them_ down like this. I was _their_ only hope to friendship. The only one who bothered with _them_.

And I knew how it felt when people gave up on you.

I walked to the cliff I had so often been on. It was the best view of _them_. Instead, I found someone sitting on the log instead. A boy around my age I was guessing, with brown hair and brown eyes. Hadn't I seen him a moment ago with a lady?

"Um, hey! What's your name? I'm Johnny." He said, holding out a hand.

I looked at him. He looked so kind. Maybe he can befriend _them_ too.

"You're in my spot."

"Hmm... Oh sorry! The scene is quite lovely isn't it? You wanna watch it together?"

That seemed like a good idea.

I went and sat on the log and he sat beside me.

I tried talking to _them_ , but they were awfully quiet today. Just as usual.

"Just look at 'em… Did you know there were so many lights in the sky?" he said after a long pause.

"Yes." Of course I knew. I was trying to befriend them.

"Oh… Uh, I did too. You said this was your spot, right?"

"Only during the carnival." I replied.

"Not a fan of crowds?" He asked jokingly.

But he was correct. I hated crowds. They terrified me. Everyone speaking, everyone being friendly. Being fake. Because not everyone actually wants to be your friend. It's just pretend.

"Me neither." He replied after I didn't reply. I guess he liked to fill my pauses.

"You know, you still haven't told me your name."

"I'm not telling you. Everyone makes fun of it in school." I replied, recalling the nickname-River the Pee-er.

"Why?"

"They say it makes them want to go the washroom."

"Uh… Okay, then." he considered something and continued, "Well, it can't be worse than "John." I mean, everywhere in the world, nearly everyone's named John!" he said as though that was bad.

"Even in India?" I had heard that the names over there were different, not quite like ours.

"Probably!" He replied.

"What's wrong with that?"

What wouldn't I give to not stand out.

"Well… It's boring, I guess. I mean, if everyone has it, then what's the point?"

"I wouldn't mind. Just for once… to have the same name everyone else has. It's like those lights in the sky… They all look the same from here, but that doesn't make them any less pretty. "

I looked up at the twinkling stars. From here they looked the same. But them being in plentiful is what made the night sky so beautiful.

"Eh, I suppose… What do you think those stars up there are anyways?" he asked, pointing at the stars.

"My dad said they're giant burning spheres of gas." I answered, remembering the day when my dad and I had sat outside in the garden when mother and Isabelle had gone to nearby city for a festival. We roasted marshmallows and saw the stars. He told me that they were actually spheres of gas. You can go to the moon and see them more up close, River- he had told me.

I had never told anyone that I thought they were lighthouses.

"Oh, I bet he's just making it up."Johnny shrugged and replied.

"Why would he lie to me?" I asked looking at him.

"Because, y'know, that's what grown-ups do. They make things up. Santa, Easter Bunny, kangaroos… … stuff like that." he looked at me like it was so obvious and then looked back at the moon.

"Have you… ever made an Easter Bunny out of stars?" I often had and wanted to know that I wasn't special. That others could do it as well, that they appreciated the beauty too.

That I was normal.

"Like a constellation?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Um, of other things… Never tried a rabbit though."

"Do you want to make one?" I asked, hesitantly.

"Yeah, we'll make the bestest constellation ever! Let's see who makes one out first! Okay, we'll start in three. Three, two, one and sta-"

"I see it." The bunny, with the stars above making its two ears and the head, and two below making its two feet and... and the moon. Bigger than all. Completing it.

The moon.

"Er... Where?"

"In the sky."

"Um... But where in the sky?"

"Think big." Think like me. Please. Tell me I'm normal. That I'm like you. And you like me.

"Eh..."

"Bigger than all the others." The Moon.

"I don't know..." He paused and then shouted, "Wait a minute... I see it!"

"Tell me what you see."

"There, right? There're the two ears and the head!"

"What else?"

"And there're the two feet!"

"Yes. What else?"

"And... and... The moon! The moon is its big round belly!"he replied excitedly.

I nodded my head and smiled.

"So… what do you think they really are? The stars, I mean."

I considered telling him. He thought like me, he was like me.

He made me feel normal.

Like everything would be alright.

I could be normal too.

" I… I've never told anyone, but… I've always thought they were lighthouses. Billions of lighthouses stuck at the far end of the sky." I looked at them.

"Wow, it must be so lively up there." he remarked.

Maybe he doesn't think all like me.

"But it isn't. They can see all the other lighthouses out there, and they want to talk to them. But they can't, because they're all too far apart to hear what the others are saying. All they can do… is shine their lights from afar. So that's what they do. They shine their lights at the other lighthouses, and at me." I explained.

"Why you?"

"Because one day, I'm going to befriend one of them." I closed my eyes.

"Johnny!" I heard a woman's voice.

"Yeesh. I gotta go." He got up and his backpack fell down.

"What's in the backpack?" I asked.

"Oh, a hacky-sacky and just some stupid toy I won at the fair game. The wack-a-mole thing. It's a beaver-duck thing. Did you play that game?"

"I did, but I'm too clumsy."I replied.

He opened the bag and showed me the stuffed toy. It was funny looking.

"Are you going to be here next year?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Same place, same time?"

"Yes."

"Great!"

"But what if you forget, or get lost?"

"Then we'll regroup at the moon silly." he smiled and pointed at our constellation.

"Johnny!" I heard again.

"Well here you go." I said, handing him the backpack.

He considered for a second and then said "you know what? Keep it. I can easily win another one. I'm pretty good at the game."

"Really?" I asked.

"Sure. See ya!"

"But your bag-" but he was gone.

I looked at the stars.

"Don't worry, John and I will be your friends." I whispered.

Because he gets you. And he gets me.

When I returned to the fair, I saw John and another him. Twins. They were extremely alike. But now, I could easily distinguish them. Because John had a twinkle in his eye. He seemed like he wanted to be different. Unique.

Not quite like me, but it's okay.

He seemed nice.

Maybe he could balance me out.

After all, we were friends.

I caught him staring at the stars.

I went back to my mom and our dad came to get us. In the car when my sister was asleep, my mom held my hand.

"River, I agreed to your sister because she is sick. She needs constant help and support. She isn't like us. She is not normal like us. Like you and me. Okay?" She whispered.

My sister wasn't the abnormal one. I was.

But what kind of mother calls her own daughter abnormal?

I nodded and looked outside the car's window.

Grownups really do make stuff up.


End file.
